Pashankusha Ekadashi

Today is Pashankusha Ekadashi


Pasankusa Ekadasi, or Pashankusha Ekadashi, occurs during the waxing phase of the moon in the month of Ashwina (September – October). In 2010, the date of Pashankusha Ekadashi is October 18. The importance of this Ekadasi is found in the Brahma Vaivarta Purana and is mentioned by Lord Krishna to Yudhishtira. Also known as Ekadasi Papankusa, observing it is believed to destroy all the sins. Lord Vishnu is worshipped in the form of Ananta Padmanabha on this day.

It is believed that a person who observes Pasankusa will be able to fulfill his dreams and observing it is equal to performing numerous yajnas and making several offerings. Some of the other results obtained by observing Pashankusha Ekadashi include Mokasha, freedom from vices and diseases. Doing community service and helping the poor on the day is considered to help in realizing one’s true nature.

Staunch Vishnu devotees keep vigil at night on the day. Fasting is for 24 hours and all the usual fasting rules associated with Ekadasi are followed.

23. Pashankusha Ekadashi

Asho sudi Ekadashi is called Pashankush Ekadashi. Padmanabh and Padmavati are prayed. Leaves of Shamdi and offerings of Harisho and charity of Ghee and laddoos made from rice flour mixed with saakar (big pieces of sugar) are given.

This narration of the glories of Pashankusha Ekadashi is excerpted from a dialogue between Shri Krishna and Maharaja Yudhishthira, as given in the Brahmavaivarta Purana.

Once, Yudhishthira Maharaj asked Shri Krishna: “O Madhusudana, what is the name of the Ekadashi that comes during the light fortnight of the month of Ashvina (September – October)? Please be kind and explain this to me.”

Shri Krishna smilingly replied, “O best of kings! The name of this Ekadashi is Pashankusha Ekadashi, and it is also known as Papankusha Ekadashi since the observance of this Ekadashi removes all sins.

“One should particularly worship Shri Padmanabha (see below for a description of Shri Padmanabha) on the day of this Ekadashi. This Ekadashi awards a person heavenly pleasures, liberation, and his or her desired results. Just by chanting the holy names of Shri Vishnu (such as the Shri Vishnu Sahasranama, and the ashtottara of Shri Rama, Shri Krishna, etc.) one can attain the piety of visiting all the holy places of pilgrimage (teerthas) in this world. If a conditioned soul, in spite of indulging in various sinful activities as a result of delusion, takes shelter and offers obeisance at the lotus feet of Shri Hari, who is the remover of all sins and the granter of liberation, then such a person never sees the punishing abode of Yamaraja, the lord of death.

“Both the Vaishnava (devotee of Shri Vishnu) who criticizes Shiva and the Shaivite (devotee of Shiva) who criticizes Shri Vishnu will undoubtedly go to Naraka (the realm of hell). (yo hariH sa shivaH sAkSAd yaH shivaH sa svayaM hariH / ye tayor bhedamAti sthan narakAya bhave naraH (Vishnu Purana 5.33.46) (He who is Shri Hari is Himself Shiva / He who manifests as Shiva is Himself Shri Hari / Any human who mistakenly thinks that Shiva is different from Shri Hari will surely go to Naraka.))

“The result one obtains by performing one thousand horse sacrifices or by performing one hundred Rajasuya sacrifices cannot equal one sixteenth of the piety one obtains by observing this Ekadashi. There is no piety in this world equal to the piety earned by observing this Ekadashi. Therefore, no other day is as sanctified as this day of Ekadashi, which is very dear to Shri Padmanabha.

“O King! Until a person observes a fast on the day of Shri Padmanabha named Papankusha Ekadashi, he remains sinful, and the reactions of his past sinful activities never leave him like a chaste wife never leaves her husband. There is no merit in all the three worlds that can match the merit that one gains by observing a fast on this Ekadashi. This Ekadashi awards those who observe it heavenly pleasures, liberation, freedom from disease, beautiful women, wealth, and food grains. None of the Ganga, Gaya, Kashi, Pushkara, or Kurukshetra can bestow as much auspicious merit as this Papankusha Ekadashi. O Maharaj Yudhishthira, protector of the earth, after observing Ekadashi during the daytime, the devotee should remain awake through the night, absorbed in hearing about Shri Hari, chanting Shri Hari’s name, and serving Shri Hari – for, by doing so, he easily attains to the abode of Shri Vishnu.”

Shri Krishna continued, “O best of kings! By observing the vow of this Ekadashi one can deliver ten generations from his mother’s family, ten generations from his father’s family, and ten generations from his wife’s family. All these ancestors attain their original, four-armed transcendental Vaikuntha forms. Wearing yellow garments and beautiful garlands, they ride to the spiritual realm on the back of Garuda, the renowned great enemy of the snakes. This is the benediction My devotee earns simply by observing one Pashankusha Ekadashi properly.

“If a person observes this Ekadashi in his childhood, youth, or old age, he does not suffer the miseries of samsara (material existence). One who strictly observes this Pashankusha Ekadashi is relieved of all sinful reactions and at the end of life returns to Shri Vishnu’s abode.

“If a person gives away gold, sesame seeds, land, cows, food grains, water, umbrellas, or shoes in charity, then such a person does not have to go to the abode of Yamaraja. On the other hand, anyone who does not engage in pious activities on this day is like a dead man although he is breathing. His breathing is like the bellows of the blacksmith.

“O best of kings, especially on this Papankusha Ekadashi, even the poor should first bathe and then give some charity according to their means, and perform other auspicious activities in accordance with their ability. Whosoever performs sacrifices for the public benefit, or builds public ponds, resting places, gardens, or houses is not subjected to the punishment of Yamaraja. It is a result of piety only that people live long lives, become rich, take birth in high-class families, and become free from disease. The purport is that the direct result of observing Ekadashi is to attain devotional service to Me, and the indirect result is to attain temporary material benefits.”

Shri Krishna then concluded, “Thus, O saintly Yudhishthira, I have narrated to you the glories of the auspicious Pashankusha Ekadashi.”

Shri Padmanabha

Padmanabha is another name of Vishnu and appears as the 48^th, 196^th, and 346^th names in the Shri Vishnu Sahasranama. According to Shri Adi Shankara’s commentary (bhashya) on the Shri Vishnu Sahasranama, “Padmanabha” means He in whose navel, the lotus (padma), the source of the universe resides; or One whose navel is beautifully shaped like the lotus; or One who shines in the middle or the heart-lotus (the Anahata chakra) of all; or One who resides in the central part of the heart-lotus (the Anahata chakra).

Shri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The Shri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy temple is a famous temple of Shri Vishnu, located inside in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. This is one of the 108 divya desams (the 108 holy teerthas where Shri Vishnu self-manifested). Shri Anantha Padmanabhaswamy is a form of Vishnu in Anananthasayanam posture (in eternal sleep of yoganidra).

Appearance of Shri Padmanabhaswamy

Once, Sage Divakara prayed to Shri Krishna for his darshana. Shri Krishna came in disguise as a small, mischievous boy and, one day, swallowed the Shalagramam used for puja (worship). Enraged, Sage Divakara chased the boy, and baby Krishna finally hid behind a tree. Suddenly, the tree broke down and refashioned itself into a form of Shri Vishnu in Sayana Kolam (lying posture) for kilometers on end. The sage then prayed to Shri Vishnu to become smaller as he could not properly worship him in such a large form. Immediately, Shri Vishnu shrunk himself and told the sage that He would henceforth be worshipped through three doors: the first one where Shri Vishnu offers worship to Shiva, the second entrance where Brahma offers worship to Shri Vishnu from his lotus navel, and the third one that displays the holy feet of Shri Vishnu, the darshana of which leads to salvation.

The glories of Shri Padmanabhaswamy Temple have been extolled in several ancient texts including the Skanda Purana and Padma Purana.

The Temple

The vigraha of the reclining Shri Padmanabhaswamy consists of 10,008 Shalagramams that were brought from the banks of the Gandhaki River in Nepal.

In the sanctum sanctorum, Shri Vishnu is in a reclining position over Anantha or Adi Sesha, the serpent with his face pointed upwards, enjoying the fragrance emanating from the lotus held in his left hand. Shri Vishnu’s right hand hovers over Shiva. Shridevi and Bhudevi, Shri Vishnu’s two consorts, stand by his side, and Brahma rests on a lotus, which emanates from the navel of Shri Vishnu.

For darshan and puja, one has to climb on a stone slab to worship the different parts of the vigraha, namely, the face, the navel and the feet, which are visible from three different door-like openings. There are other important shrines inside the temple for Shri Narasimha, Shri Krishna, Shri Ayyappa, Shri Ganesha and Shri Hanuman as well as many other small shrines for deities like Kshetrapalan (who guards the temple), Vishwaksena and Garuda.

History

King Marthanda Varma, Maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Travancore, dedicated his kingdom to Shri Padmanabhaswamy, and pledged that he and his descendants would serve the kingdom as Padmanabha Dasa, meaning “servants of the Lord Padmanabha”. Thus, Shri Padmanabhaswamy became the nominal head of the state of Travancore, assuming the title, Perumal (the Emperor). The British Government used to salute Shri Padmanabhaswamy with a 21-gun salute, a military tradition of colonial days. The royal insignia of Shri Padmanabhaswamy, the Valampuri Shankha (a rare and highly auspicious form of the conch-shell), served as the state emblem of Travancore. Shri Padmanabhaswamy is still revered as the regional deity of Travancore.

Pavitra Ekadasi – Putrada Ekadashi & Varalakshmi Vratam

Aug 20, 2010. Today is Putrada Ekadashi.


Very auspicious day.

Today, Jagadguru Shreemad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu obtained Brahmasambandha Mantra from Bhagwan Shree Krishna. On obtaining this Diksha (Initiation) Mantra, apshri brought in order the system of initiation and the spiritual course for the disciples for Pushti Bhakti.

Lord Shree krishna saw that the life of beings whom he had created for performing his pushti bhakti was wasted away. So he ordained Shreemad Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu (Shree Krishnasya, Vadananavtaar of Lord Shree krishna) to manifest the sampraday i.e. sect of his pushti bhakti and to uplift Pushti beings who were down away in the flow of the time. The Path of devotion and resort of Shree Krishna which Shree Vallabhacharya proclaimed is known as Pushti Bhakti Sampraday – the devotional path of ‘Pushti’ i.e. Lord’s grace.

Each year all the vaishnavs around the world adorn their Thakurjis with pavitra on this day. The reason behind the figure 360 is simple.Shrinathji has said that whoever adorns me with a pavitra on pavitra ekadashi gets the ‘laabh’ of doing the seva of 365 days of the year. Each thread in a pavitra signifies one day’s seva. So no matter if you are unable to do seva round the year. Experienced vaishnavas prepare pavitra at home.

In A.D.1492 on the next day (i.e. Pavitra Baaras) Shree Damodardas Harsaniji adorned his Guru Shree Vallabhacharyaji with a pavitra. Thus its a tradition that today all vaishnavs adorn their Guru with a pavitra before taking prasad.

All Vaishnavs are invited to attend this special satsang and thus celebrate the “Prardurbhav” of Pushti Sampraday.

Pavitra Ekadashi 2010 – Pavitropana Ekadasi

Pavitra Ekadashi, or Pavitropana Ekadasi, is observed during the waxing phase of the moon in Shravan month (July – August) as per traditional north Indian calendar. Pavitra Ekadasi 2010 date is August 20. This Ekadasi is known as Putrada Ekadasi in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The greatness of Pavithra Ekadasi is found in the Bhavisyotara Purana and its importance was narrated to Yudhisthira by Lord Krishna. Jhulan Yatra , swing festival associated with Lord Krishna, Radha and Lord Jagannath begins on this Ekadasi day and ends on Shravan Purnima.

There is a popular belief that those who observe this Ekadasi will beget a son. Fasting on the also help in redemption of sin. All grains are avoided on the day. Some staunch devotees keep vigil.

The legend or story and the importance of Putrada Ekadashi or Pavitropana Ekadasi vrata are mentioned in Bhavishyottara Purana as a discussion between Lord Sri Krishna and King Yudhistira. Putrada Ekadasi 2010 date is August 20.

When King Yudhistira asked about the Ekadasi Vrata which blesses the devotee with a good and healthy son and everlasting fame for many generations, Lord Krishna explained the story of King Mahijit who ruled Mahishmatipuri in the beginning of Dwapara Yuga.

King Mahijit was a successful and victorious king but he felt bad because he had no son. He performed many charities, good deeds and observed many homas, yagnas and yagas (sacrifices) but he has not find any result.
One day he went to Sage Lomasa, who was born from the hair of Lord Brahma, and explained his problem. Sage Lomasa went into meditation and told that the King Mahijit committed a sin in his previous birth which made him childless in this birth. King Mahijit was a vysya (merchant) in his previous birth.

When a cow and her newly born calf were about to drink water at a lake, he went there and drove them away for drinking water himself. Though, by his other good deeds he born as a King in his next birth, he became childless.
When Mahijit requested the Sage Lomasa for a remedy to pacify his mistake, he told about the Putrada Ekadashi or Pavitra Ekadasi vrata. King Mahijit observed Putrada Ekadashi vrata with great reverence and got a handsome and healthy son who ruled the country successfully after him.

Kamika Ekadashi

Glories of Kamika Ekadasi

[Taken from http://www.prabhupada.org/rama/?p=2656 ]
Today [08/06/2010] is Kamika Ekadashi

Kamika Ekadasi - from Brahma Vaivarta Purana:

The saintly king Yudhisthira maharaj said, “Oh Supreme Lord, I have heard from You the glories of fasting on Deva-sayani EkAdasii, which occurs during the light fortnight of the month of AshADha. Now I would like to hear from You the glories of the EkAdasii that occurs during the dark fortnight (krishna paksha) of the month of ShrAvaNa (July –August). Oh Govindadeva, please be merciful to me and explain its glories. Oh Supreme VAsudeva, I offer my most humble obeisances unto You.”

The Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna, replied, “Oh King, please listen attentively as I describe the auspicious influence of this Holy fast
(vrata) day, which removes all sins. Narada Muni once asked Lord BrahmA about this same topic. ‘Oh regent of all beings,’ said NAradji, ‘Oh you who sit upon a water born lotus throne, please tell me the names of the EkAdasii that occurs during the dark fortnight of the sacred month of ShrAvaNa. Please also tell me which Deity is to be worshipped on that Holy day, the process one must follow to observe it, and the merit it awards.’

“Lord BrahmA replied, ‘My dear son Narada, for the benefit of all humanity I shall happily tell you everything you wish to know, for just hearing the glories of the KAmikA EkAdasii bestows merit equal to that obtained by one who performs a horse sacrifice. Certainly, great merit is attained by one who worships, and who also meditates on the lotus feet of the four-armed Lord GadAdhara, who holds conchshell, disc, club and lotus in His hands and who is also known as Shridhara, Hari, Vishnu, Madhava, and MadhusUdana. And the blessings achieved by such a person / devotee, who worships Lord Vishnu exclusively are far greater than those achieved by one who takes a sacred bath in the Ganges at KAshi (VarANasii), in the forest of NaimishAraNya, or at Pushkara, which is the only place on the planet where I am formally worshipped. But one who observes this KAmikA EkAdasii and also worships Lord Shri Krishna achieves greater merit than one who has darshana of Lord KedAranAtha in the HimAlayas, or one who bathes at Kurukshetra during a solar eclipse, or one who donates the whole Earth in charity, including its forests and oceans, or one who bathes in the GaNDaki River (where the sacred Shaligrams are found) or the GodAvari River on a full moon (purnima) day that falls on a Monday when Leo (Simha) and Jupiter (Guru) are conjoined (conjunct).

“ ’Observing KAmikA EkAdasii bestows the same merit as donating a milk-cow and her auspicious calf, along with their feed. On this all auspicious day, whosoever worships Lord Sri Shridhara-deva, Vishnu, is glorified by all the devas, Gandharvas, Pannagas, and NAgas.

“ ‘Those who are afraid of their past sins and completely immersed in sinful materialistic life should at least observe this best of EkAdasiis according to their ability and thus attain liberation. This EkAdasii is the purest of all days and the most powerful for removing sins of the native. Oh Narada ji, Lord Shri Hari Himself once said about this EkAdasii, “One who fasts on KAmikA EkAdasii attains much more merit than one who studies all the spiritual literatures.”

“ ‘Anyone who fasts on this particular day remains awake throughout the night will never experience the anger of YamarAja, the king of death personified. It has been seen that whoever observes KAmikA EkAdasii will not have to suffer future births, and in the past too, many Yogis of devotion who fasted on this day went to the spiritual world. One should therefore follow in their auspicious footsteps and strictly observe a fast on this most auspicious of EkAdasiis.

“ ‘Whosoever worships Lord Shri Hari with Tulasi leaves is freed from all implication of sin. Indeed, he lives untouched by sin, as the lotus leaf, although in the water, is untouched by it. Whosoever offers Lord Shri Hari but a single leaf from the sacred Tulasi tree (occillium basilcum sanctum) attains as much merit as one who gives away in charity two hundred grams of gold and eight hundred grams of silver. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is more pleased by one who offers Him a single Tulasi leaf than by one who worships Him with pearls, rubies, topaz, diamonds, lapis lazuli, sapphires, gomedA stones (gomaz), cat’s eye gems, and coral. One who offers Lord Keshava newly grown maNjari buds from the Tulasi plant gets rid of all the sins he has committed during this or any other lifetime. Indeed, mere darshana of Tulasi on KAmikA EkAdasii removes all sins, and merely touching her and praying to her removes all kinds of disease. One who waters Tulasi devi need never fear the Lord of death, YamarAja. One who plants or transplants Tulasi on this days will eventually reside with Lord Shri Krishna in His own abode. To Srimati Tulasi devi, who awards liberation in devotional service, one should therefore daily offer one’s full obeisances.

“ ‘Even Chitragupta, YamarAja’s secretary, cannot calculate the merit obtained by one who offers Shrimati Tulasi-devi a perpetually burning ghee lamp. So dear is this sacred EkAdasii to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that all the forefathers of one who offers a bright ghee lamp to Lord Shri Krishna on this day ascend to the heavenly planets and drink the celestial nectar there. Whoever offers a ghee or sesame oil lamp to Shri Krishna on this day is freed from all his sins and enters the abode of Surya, the Sun- god, with a body as bright as ten million lamps. This EkAdasii is so powerful that if one who is unable to fast simply follows the practices as mentioned herein, s/he is elevated to the heavenly planets, along with all their forefathers.

“ ‘Oh Maharaj Yudhisthira,” Lord Shri Krishna concluded, “?these were the words of prajapathi BrahmA to his son Narada Muni concerning the incalculable glories of this KAmikA EkAdasii, which removes all sins. This sacred day nullifies even the sin of killing a brAhmaNa or the sin of killing an unborn child in the womb, and it promotes one to the spiritual world by making one supremely meritorious. One who kills the innocent, i.e., a brahmin (brAhmaNa), a child in the womb, a pious and spotless woman, etc., and then later hears about the glories of KAmikA EkAdasii will be relieved of the reaction to one’s sins. However, one should NOT think beforehand that one can kill a Brahmin or other innocent folk and then go unpunished simply by hearing of this EkAdasii. Such knowing commission of sin is an abomination.

Whosoever hears these glories of the KAmikA EkAdasii with faith becomes free of all sins and returns home, back to Godhead – Vishnu-loka, Vaikuntha.

Thus ends the narration of the glories of the ShrAvaNa-kRshNa EkAdasii, or KAmikA EkAdasii, from the Brahma-Vaivarta PurANa.

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